Fighters

• Focke Wulf Fw 187
• Heinkel He 162 Volksjäger
• Arado Ar 240
• Heinkel He 112
• Messerschmitt Me 163B Komet
• Messerschmitt Bf 109A & B
• Messerschmitt Bf 109G-1,3,5: Pressurized, High Altitude Series
• Focke-Wulf Ta 152H

Bombers

• Junkers Ju 88S

Transport

• Siebel Si 204
• DELAG: The First Airline

Maritime

• Fieseler Fi 167
• Blohm & Voss Bv 238
• Blohm und Voss Bv 222
• Heinkel He 114

Proposals

Night Fighters

• Focke Wulf Ta 154 Moskito
• Heinkel He 219 Uhu
• Junkers Ju 88G

Experimental and Prototype

• Akaflieg Berlin B9
• Messerschmitt Me 163S Habicht
• Arado Ar 233
• Blohm und Voss Bv 40
• Heinkel He 178
• Messerschmitt P.1101
• Arado Ar 234A Blitz
• Messerschmitt Me 163A Komet
• Messerschmitt Me 163D Komet
• Sack AS 6
• Heinkel He 176
• Spitfire with DB 605A, “Messerspit”
• Messerschmitt Me 163C
• DELAG: The First Airline
• Messerschmitt Me 209
• Siebel 204
• Lippisch P 13a
• Me 209A
• Me 309
• Me 309Zw (Me 609)
• Me 261

Trainers

• Messerschmitt Me 163S Habicht

Destroyers

• Focke Wulf Fw 187

Reconnaissance

• Blohm & Voss BV 144
• Blohm und Voss Bv 141
• Me 261

Ground Attack

Anti-Air Weapons

• 8.8 cm Flak 18/36/37

Fake Aircraft

• Heinkel-BMW Flying disc project

 

History

Following the end of the First World War, Germany was forbidden by the Treaty of Versailles from developing any major weapon systems, including tanks and aircraft. During the 1920s German aircraft manufacturers began designing civilian aircraft that could easily be modified and used as military aircraft, in order to circumvent this. They were also technically not forbidden from developing such aircraft for the foreign export market. Some civilian organisations, like the Nationalsozialistisches Fliegerkorps NSFK (National Socialist Flying Corps), and airlines, like Lufthansa, would be secretly involved as well. These organizations were used in many different forms, such as training pilots, financing gliding and modeling clubs, etc. While these attempts to develop the basis for an air force may have seemed unusual and inadequate, they were actually highly important in solidifying the foundation for the later development of the German Air Force. Many World War One ace pilots, like Hermann Goring (who would later be put in charge of the Air Force), Ernst Udet, and Bruno Lorzer would also contribute to the foundation of the later Luftwaffe (German Air Force) in various ways. Officially, the Luftwaffe would be formed in 1935 and placed under the command of Hermann Goring, who was also the Minister of Aviation.

Aircraft Manufacturers

In the years prior to the war, the Luftwaffe was able to acquire a number of modern aircraft. This was largely possible due to the relatively large number of aircraft manufacturers in Germany.  A number of these had their origin back in the early 1900s or even earlier.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Besides the major aircraft manufacturers, there were also a number of smaller firms, such as Blohm and Voss, Arado, Siebel, Udet Flugzeugbau GmbH, etc.

Types of Aircraft 

Fighters

Prior to the war, Germany operated a number of biplane fighter aircraft, such as the He 49 and He 51. As newer models became available in sufficient numbers, these would be gradually reallocated to secondary roles, such as training. The most prominent fighter aircraft designs before 1939 were from Heinkel, with its He 110 and He 112, and Messerschmitt, with its Bf 109 model. Ultimately, the Bf 109 was chosen and would become the most numerous produced German aircraft of the war. To supplement the Bf 109, another famous aircraft, the Fw 190, would also be adopted during the war. An interesting concept was the Bf 110 twin-engine heavy fighter (zerstörer). It was highly praised by some Luftwaffe officials in the early years of the war. In general, the German fighters proved to be outstanding designs but ultimately, they would be surpassed by the Allied aircraft during the war.

Fighters
Arado Ar 65 Arado Ar 67 Arado Ar 68  Arado Ar 80 Focke Wulf Fw 56 Focke Wulf Fw 159 Stösser Focke Wulf Fw 190 Würger	Bf 109 Bv 155 He 51 He 74 He 100 He 112	Hs 121 Hs 125 Go 149 Me 209 Me 309 Do 22L Ta 152

The Germans also employed a number of night fighters, specially designed to take down Allied bombers during night operations. These were twin-engine aircraft with heavy armaments and usually equipped with radar equipment. In some cases, the Germans modified already existing bomber aircraft. 

Bombers and Ground-Attack Aircraft 

Bombers played a major part in the campaigns of the Luftwaffe, providing necessary fire support for the advancing ground forces. Three major companies, Dornier, Heinkel, and Junkers, were the main manufacturers of bomber aircraft. While these were effective designs, their short-range would prove to be quite an issue for the Luftwaffe as the war dragged on. The Germans tried to resolve this issue with designs like the He 177, but were never successful in this attempt.

For close air support, the Germans employed the Ju 87 dive bomber. It had a somewhat unique design and was able to hit targets with a great degree of accuracy. Other older biplanes, like the Hs 123, were also used in similar roles. Fighters like the Bf 109 were also used to attack ground targets with some modifications.

Bombers (1919 – 1945)
Bf M22 Fw 42 Hs 127 He 70 He 111 He 177 He 274 He 277	Me 264 Ju EF 61 Ju.88 Ju 89 Ju 188 Ju 288 Ju 290 Ju 390	Ju 488 Ar 234 Do 11 Do17 Do 19 Do 23 Do 215 Do 217

Ground Attack Aircraft (1919 – 1945)
He 50 He 70 He 118 Ar 81 Fi 98	Hs 123 Hs 124 Hs 129 Ju 87	Ju 187 Ha 137 Fw 57 Bf  162

Reconnaissance

Proper reconnaissance of the positions of enemy air bases and ground targets was vital for German war plans. The Luftwaffe operated a number of different such aircraft. Among the best-known are the Fi 156 Storch and the Fw 189.  

Reconnaissance Aircraft (1919 – 1945)
Go 147 Me 261 He 45 He 46 He 50 Bf 161	He 116 He 119 Hs 126 Hs 130 Fi 156 Storch  BV 141	Fw 189 Uhu  Ar 198 Ar 240 Si 201

Maritime 

Probably the greatest weakness of the Luftwaffe was the lack of long-range maritime planes. While it operated the long-range Fw 200, there were simply never enough of them. Interestingly, the Germans also operated the largest transport float plane of the war, the BV 238.

Maritime Aircraft (1919 – 1945)
Fw 62 Fw 200 He 51 He 59 He 60 He 114 He115 Ha 139	Ha 140 Do 15 Do 18 Do 22 Do 24 Do 26 Ar 95 Ar 195	Ar 196 Ar 199 Ar 231 Ar 233 Bv 138 Bv 222 Bv 238 Fi 167

Transport Aircraft

Prior to and during the war, the primary German transport plane was the three-engined Ju 57. While a reliable design, it was becoming obsolete as the war dragged on, and thus Junkers developed the Ju 252 and 290 as replacements, but these were only built in small numbers. Sometimes, older obsolete bombers were also modified for transport roles.

Transport Aircraft (1919 – 1945)
Ar 232 Bv 144 Ju F 13 Ju W 34 Me 323	Ju G 38  Ju.52 Ju 90 Ju.252 Ju.352	Go.244 Si 204 He 116 Me M 28

Jet and Rocket Powered Planes

The Germans were the first in the world to test a fully completed jet-powered aircraft, the He 178. When the war started, they began to turn away from this technology and invested great resources and time in the development of more experimental rocket and jet engines. They managed to introduce some highly advanced designs into service, like the Me 262 fighters or the Ar 234 multirole aircraft, in some limited numbers. There were also a number of other jet designs that proved to be a failure, such as the He 162. 

Jet Aircraft (1919-1945)
DFS 332 Me 163A Me 163B Me 163C Me 163D He 162 He 176	He 178 He 280 Ar 234  Ju 287 Ho 229 Li P 11 Me 262 Me 328

Trainers

The Luftwaffe employed a vast array of different aircraft trainers prior to and during the war. These were some planes specially designed as trainers (Ar 67, Me 108, etc), while others were reallocated to this role, after being deemed obsolete for frontline service. 

Trainer Aircraft (1919 – 1945)
He 72 Fw 44 Me 35 Go 145 Ar 66	Bu 131 Bu 141 Bf 108 Fw 58 Ar 96	Bu 131 Bu 133 Bu 181 KL 25 KL 35D

Experimental Aircraft 

During and prior to the war, the Germans developed a number of different designs and concepts that never advanced past the prototype stage. Some were built as test airframes to examine a particular concept and its merits. Majority  on the other hand were more desperate or even unrealistic designs that ultimately did not go beyond a drawing board. In addition, there was a huge selection of various paper projects that could not be implemented for various reasons, from lack of time to these simply being unfeasible. 

Experimental Aircraft

Me P1101 Focke Wulf Fw 190 mit DB 609 Hu 136 Berlin B9 Focke Wulf Fw 190 Strahljäger Sack AS-6 Focke-Wulf Fw Triebflügel

Rocket Development 

During the war, Germany became a leading power in the development and use of different rocket weapon systems. These were used for various tasks, ranging from  long-range ballistic bombardment, to anti-aircraft or anti-shipping missiles, among others. One of the better known and widely used examples were the so-called Retribution Weapons (Vergeltungswaffe), the V-1 and V-2 rockets. The V-1s were relatively inexpensive to build mass-produced rockets that required a launching ramp. The V-2 was a more complex overall design. Both weapons were mostly used against targets in England and Western Europe.

Ground Based Anti-Aircraft Missile Systems  

As the Allied bombing campaign intensified in scope, the Germans were hard-pressed to find a solution to effectively counter them. Use of day and night fighters with a combination of heavy Flak (anti-aircraft) fire was not enough. In an attempt to prevent further bombing raids by the end of the war, the Germans developed several different ground-based anti-aircraft missiles. Unfortunately, these projects were mostly developed late in the war and none reached operational combat status. 

Wasserfall Feuerlilie Enzian Hs 117 Schmetterling Rheintochter

Autogyro and Helicopters 

A few innovative and unusual autogyro and helicopter designs saw somewhat limited development by the Germans. The Luftwaffe managed to produce and use the Fl 282 Kolibri and Fa 223 Drache helicopters in small numbers. While proving to have great potential, the Allied bombing campaign affected the small production run of helicopters in Germany. The autogyro aircraft/helicopter hybrids were considered a pre-war novelty that was never actually accepted for use in combat operations.

Helicopters

Fl 282 Kolibri  Fa 223 Drache Fa 225 Fa 269 Fa 284 Fa 330 Fl 265

Autogyros

Fw 61  Fw 186

Gliders

Gliders are unpowered aircraft that were primarily used to transport troops, supplies, materials, or other equipment. These had a very simple construction and were cheap to build. Germany employed several such aircraft during the war, ranging from the small DSF 230 to the monstrous Me 321. 

The importance of unpowered gliders is misleading, as these proved to be a vital part of the German’s invasion plans for Western Europe. Thanks to gliders such as the DSF 230, the Germans managed to transport troops that captured the heavily defended Eben Emael fortress in Belgium. In 1943 the  Germans managed to rescue Benito Mussolini from his captors with the use of gliders. 

Gliders

DSF 230 DFS 331 Bv 40 Go 242 Go 244 Go 345 Ka 430 Ju 322  Me 321

Foreign Aircraft

Germany managed to acquire great numbers of different types of foreign aircraft. They achieved this in several ways, depending on the situation. For example, Austrian and Czechoslovakian aircraft were obtained during the peaceful occupation of these two countries. When the war broke out, the Germans were able to add aircraft produced in Poland, France, Netherlands, Yugoslavia, the Soviet Union, Great Britain, and even the US to their inventory. Most of these aircraft saw limited use by the Germans, mostly being considered inferior to their own designs. However, the Germans extensively used captured aircraft engines. Captured aircraft were mostly sold to other Axis countries. Another interesting use of enemy aircraft was that of the American B-17 bombers. A number of damaged aircraft were salvaged by the Germans and put back into use under the designation Do 200, as was the case of for the American B-17. These were used by the Kampfgeschwader 200 (Combat Squadron 200) during 1944 to fulfill various combat and patrol duties.

Armament

German aircraft could be armed with several different machine gun and cannon types, supplemented by different bomb loads. Later in the war, they also employed a wide selection of unusual and experimental weapons. 

For use in offensive or defensive situations, German aircraft were initially equipped with the 7.92 mm (0.3 in) MG 13, MG 15 or MG 81. To further supplement their firepower, larger caliber 13 mm (0.4 in) MG 131 and 15 mm (0.59 in) MG 151 heavy machine guns. Later in the war, even these were becoming ineffective for destroying enemy bombers or ground targets, so 20 and 30 mm cannons (MG 151/20, MK 101, MK 108/30 and MK 103) were becoming the main armament of many aircraft. The Germans even mounted modified 3.7 cm (1.45 in) anti-aircraft, 5 cm and 7.5 cm anti-tank guns into planes. A number of experimental weapons were employed in limited scope. Anti-aircraft rockets, like the Werfer-Granate 21, were also used against Allied bombers. Some of these include the MK 112/55 cannon, SG 500, Taifun and R4M anti-aircraft rockets.  

For use against ground targets, Luftwaffe aircraft could be equipped with a wide selection of bombs, depending on their bomb carrying capabilities. The smaller high-explosive bombs in use ranged from 2 kg to nearly 2 tonnes (4,300 lbs). If needed, other types of payloads, like smoke screens, incendiary bombs, torpedoes (against shipping) and even bombs with poison gas could be used. Probably the most bizarre German invention was the Mistel projectile. It consisted of a heavily modified bomber (usually a Ju 88)  which was connected to a fighter plane on top. The pilot of the fighter plane had to guide the Mistel to its designated target and then separate from the modified bomber and hope that it would hit the target. Not many were built. Due to their vulnerability to the Allied fighter cover, they were not particularly successful.

The Germans were the first in the world to use  guided bombs in significant numbers. These included the Hs 293, 294 and 298, Bv 246, Fritz-X, Ruhrstahl-Kramer X-4 etc. Not all of these saw combat use, but those that did managed some success. One example took place on 27th August 1943, when a Do 217K equipped with a Fritz-X managed to damage the Athabaskan destroyer and the Egret corvette in the Mediterranean. The best-known case of combat use of these missiles was the sinking of the Italian Roma battleship, killing its entire crew) after receiving two direct hits from the Fritz-X on 9th September 1943. The second Italian battleship, Italiana was also hit but managed to escape.  

Radar Equipment

German night-fighters extensively used radar equipment to help find enemy targets. One of the first radars employed in 1941 was the Lichtenstein BC type. Initial radars were rather bulky and not always precise but, in the following years, their effectiveness would be greatly improved. Mid-war, the Germans introduced the improved 220 Lichtenstein SN2 radar, which offered vastly improved performance. Others, like the 218 Neptun, and 240 Berlin types, were also used during the war.  The Germans also employed passive radar detectors like the Flensburg.

Camouflage and Markings

During the period up to the mid-1930s, the Germans were still technically forbidden from developing military aircraft. To disguise their purpose, initial military markings mostly included a large Nazi flag painted on the aircraft’s tail. After 1936, the German introduced a number of military markings, like the Balkenkreuz and a Swastika. The Balkenkreuz was painted on the fuselage’s sides and on the wing’s bottom and top. A swastika was painted on the tail. These Luftwaffe markings could sometimes be changed depending on the situation or for special purposes. For example, aircraft that were used for medical evacuation or medical supplies received a large red cross in combination with a white camouflage. In addition, the Condor Legion aircraft had white and black Andrew’s crosses.

Regarding tactical markings, initially, the Germans used civilian registration plates consisting of a capital D (standing for Germany – Deutschland) with a few additional letters. After the Luftwaffe was officially formed, proper military tactical markings were used. These were painted on the fuselage’s sides and consisted of three letters and an Arabic number, together with the Balkenkreuz. Fighter aircraft received additional markings that represented which unit they belonged to, seniority, etc. Another exception was training aircraft, which received an additional S (school -Schedule) letter. During the later stages of the war, changes in the marking systems were made that did not always have official approval. 

Camouflage patterns used on German aircraft during the war can be a bit confusing. While there were official camouflage schemes and patterns, crews would often add additional camouflage schemes to better fit their needs. The first proper camouflage was employed during the Spanish Civil war, using a combination of different colors like pale blue and gray, dark brown and green. To reduce the chance of being spotted by ground based observers, German aircraft received a simple light blue camouflage painted on the undersurface. The rest of the aircraft was usually painted in dark green, dark blue in combination with light green patches. In the African desert and Russian winter conditions, German planes received additional types of camouflage to better fit the new surroundings. During the war, the patterns could vary widely depending on the available resources or even on the quality and artistic license of the painter himself.  

At War

In Spain – 1936-1939

The first combat actions of the newly formed Luftwaffe were during the Spanish Civil War which lasted from 1936 to 1939. For this operation, the so-called Condor Legion was formed and equipped with various aircraft designs, primarily intended to test their use and mechanical performance. This was the testing ground for many new German designs, like the Bf 109 fighter, He 111, and Ju 87 bombers, and many others. These proved to be highly effective and had great potential that the Germans would employ in the coming years. On the other hand, this conflict demonstrated that some aircraft, such as the Ju 86, He 51, He 70, He 112, and the Ju 52 (bomber version) were not successful or did not perform as expected and were removed from service.  

In general, the Condor Legion proved instrumental for Franco’s war operations. The Ju 52, for example, was vital for transporting Franco’s troops in North Africa to Europe at the start of the Spanish Civil War. In addition, they were heavily involved in engaging many Republican military targets. Unfortunately, the targets were not always military ones, as was the case of civilian settlements being bombed (a practice that would be seen to a great extent in the later years of the war), such as the attack on the city of Guernica.

Polish Campaign – 1939

During the German invasion of Poland in 1939, the Luftwaffe played a major role. The initial task of the Luftwaffe was to destroy as many Polish planes on the ground as possible. After this task was effectively achieved, they proceeded to support the advancing ground troops, bombing the Polish ground forces, supply lines, and infrastructure. By the end of September, one of the last major Polish resistance points was held in the capital city of Warsaw. After a series of extensive bombing raids and ground assaults, the Poles had no other options than to surrender.

Denmark and Norway 

In an attempt to secure vital ore supplies from Sweden, the Germans launched an offensive operation intent on capturing Denmark and Norway. The operation, which started in April, was supported by a smaller number of Luftwaffe aircraft. The Germans deployed a number of paratrooper drops intended to capture airfields and reuse them for Luftwaffe operations. The Western Allies, while initially intending to be more heavily involved, were reluctant to send troops and equipment to this new front. Ultimately, the Germans were quicker and more dedicated to their combat operations in the North and managed to secure their objectives.

Conquest of Western Europe

Once Poland was conquered, Hitler insisted that the Western Allies should be attacked as soon as possible. In reality, this could not be achieved, as relocating the troops and equipment took too much time.  In January 1940, an interesting event happened when a Bf 108 liaison aircraft with an officer carrying German invasion plans went off the course. To make matters even worse, the aircraft was forced to land in Belgium, where the officer was taken captive with his documents. This blunder finally forced Hitler to postpone the invasion. This event actually turned out as favorably for the Germans, as shortly after this, General Erich von Manstein proposed the new Sichelschmidt (scythe cut) plan. This advocated for a bold attack through Ardennes. The boldness of this plan appealed to Hitler, who immediately ordered that the plan should be implemented. 

The Germans launched their full-scale offensive against France and Belgium and Holland on the 10th of May 1940. The Luftwaffe’s strength for this operation was slightly less than 3900 aircraft. Against them stood an Allied Air Force of some 2600 aircraft. The attack was spearheaded by bombers, which quickly neutralized many Allied aircraft on the ground. Next in the line were the gliders and transport planes with combat engineers and paratroopers. Their mission was vital, with the task of eliminating the Eben Emael fortress and capturing a number of bridges. 

Following these successes, the Luftwaffe would continue supporting the ground troops’ advance by providing air cover and bombing enemy targets. They caused significant havoc amongst Allied troops, preventing reorganization, destroying infrastructure, etc. With the advancing force, the Germans managed to split the Allied force in Holland and Belgium, forcing them to retreat back to the port of Dunkirk. For the destruction of the Allied forces there, the Luftwaffe allocated some 500 fighters and 300 bombers, but ultimately failed to prevent the evacuation. By 24th June, the war was all but won by the Germans, thanks to a great extent to the superior force of the Luftwaffe. 

Battle of Britain 

After the defeat of the Western Allies, Great Britain was left alone to fight the Germans. As short peace negotiations between these two countries lead nowhere, the Germans began preparing for a possible amphibious assault on England, known as Operation Sealion (Unternehmen Seelöwe). In hindsight, this operation was doomed from the start, given the lack of any major naval force by the Germans. Nevertheless, in July 1940, the Germans began a bombing campaign in England. 

For this operation, the Germans allocated some 1,000 or more fighters and some 1,300 bombers (numbers are different between sources). Against them, the British could muster some 600 fighters. Initial bombing raids were aimed at British ports. This changed when, in late August 1940, the Germans began targeting British radar installations and airfields. They even began bombing city targets in retaliation to the British Berlin bombing run, which was made in early September. By mid-September the Germans abandoned plans for the landing invasion of Britain, due to losses, heavy resistance, and the refocusing on the Eastern front. While the Germans lost 663 fighters and nearly 700 bombers, the British lost some 600 fighters.

The Battle of Britain was the first major defeat of the Luftwaffe, which showed a number of shortcomings. These included the short range of the Bf 109 fighters, inferiority of the larger twin-engine Bf 110 against much nimbler single-engine fighters, bombers that were only lightly armed with a few machine guns, and that the Ju 87, while excellent when well-protected, proved to be an easy target otherwise.  Despite being severely wounded, the Luftwaffe was still a force to be reckoned with in the coming years. 

Balkan Operations – 1941

Following the failed Italian offensive to take Greece, Hitler agreed to help Mussolini. The plan was somewhat complicated when the Yugoslavian government was overthrown by an anti-German military coup. Hitler was furious about this and ordered Yugoslavia to be conquered. The attack was launched on the 6th of April 1941, and by the 17th, it was successfully completed. While the Yugoslavian Air Force had modern aircraft, like the Bf 109 and Hawker Hurricanes, it was simply not a match for the combined Axis forces. 

Next in the line was Greece, which also fell quickly, with only the major islands, like Crete, left. The task of conquering this vital island was given to the Luftwaffe. The plan was simple, paratroopers and other infantry were to be transported by a large armada of some 700 transport aircraft and 80 gliders. While the Germans managed to defeat the British defenders, this was done at great cost of life and material. During this action alone, some 220 aircraft were lost, including 119 vital Ju 52s. 

In the Mediterranean and Africa

In order to support their Italian ally once more, the Luftwaffe allocated some 500 aircraft for the Mediterranean and African fronts. One of the first actions on this front was the bombing of Malta in early January 1941. Once Invasion Barbarossa was in full swing, most of these aircraft would be reallocated to the East. In 1942, the Luftwaffe’s strength was increased to 650 aircraft, with less than 300 to support German forces in Africa in their attempt to storm Egypt. The heavy fighting and poor supply situation meant that, by the end of 1942, many of these aircraft were lost. During that time, due to extensive Allied sea supremacy, the only way to transport troops and equipment was by air. In 1943, the Germans had less than 140 aircraft in Africa, where most were lost by May. 

The Eastern Front – Soviet Union

When the German attack on the Soviet Union began in June 1941, the Luftwaffe did what it did best, destroying enemy aircraft on the ground. On the first day of the offensive, some 1,500 Soviet aircraft were destroyed on the ground. The East was a somewhat unique front, as the sheer size of the Soviet Union simply prevented the Luftwaffe from achieving total air superiority. While the Luftwaffe was effective in the Soviet Union and proved superior in the first years of the conflict, the sheer size of the task of subduing the Eastern foe was simply too enormous to be achieved easily. The Soviets managed to reposition most of their production facilities away from the Luftwaffe’s reach. By the end of 1941, the heavy fighting, lack of spare parts, equipment breakdowns, and stiff Soviet resistance led to losses among the Luftwaffe. 

In 1942, the Luftwaffe continued to support the German efforts to capture the oil fields of the Caucasus and the city of Stalingrad. This offensive eventually failed, which led to the German 6th Army becoming encircled at Stalingrad. The Luftwaffe made an attempt to organize airdrops, but, due to deteriorating  winter weather conditions, Soviet resistance, and general lack of aircraft, this task could not be achieved. 1942 ended badly for the Luftwaffe, losing many much-needed aircraft and experienced crews. 

In 1943, one of the last major German offensives on the East was launched, Operation Citadel. The main operational aim of this offensive was to destroy the Soviet positions at Kursk. Some 1,700 aircraft were ready to take action. Due to the extensive Soviet defence networks, the German offensive eventually stalled. The Luftwaffe was once again hard-pressed by the ever-increasing Soviet Air Force.

The Luftwaffe’s aircraft numbers were further diminished as more and more aircraft were pulled back to Germany to defend against Allied bombings. Despite the losses, the Luftwaffe continued to resist the large scale Soviet counter-attack that began in 1944. Thanks to the vast expanse of this front, it even managed to gain local air superiority and, despite being reduced in size, offered stiff resistance. Ultimately, this was not enough, as, by late 1944 and early 1945, the Luftwaffe could do little to stop the advancing Soviet forces.

In the West Again

When the Allies landed in Normandy in June 1944, the Luftwaffe could do little, being already overstretched. While some attempts were made to counter the Allies, due to the enemy’s overwhelming air power, the few Luftwaffe aircraft in France were quickly neutralized. This effectively prevented the Luftwaffe from providing any kind of support to the besieged German ground forces. 

End Stages – 1945

While German attention was diverted to the East, the English and the Americans launched a series of bombing runs against military and even civilian targets within Germany. These attacks increased in severity as the war progressed. While these raids caused massive destruction and loss of life, the Allies primarily aimed to finish the war quickly by destroying German industrial centers and morale. This did not succeed. It took years of heavy bombing raids to achieve results, mainly due to German countermeasures, like the relocation of major industrial production capabilities (usually underground). Ultimately, by 1944, the Allies managed to gain overall air superiority over Europe. They destroyed vital synthetic oil production plants and, probably most importantly, destroyed the German infrastructure necessary for redistribution of supplies and war materials. The Luftwaffe made some attempts, like the 1945 New Year raid on Allied airfields in the West, but ultimately failed in the face of the overwhelming Allied airforce power. In the last year of the war, the Luftwaffe’s infrastructure was so decimated that it basically stopped existing in any meaningful manner. Interestingly enough, many of the German advanced aircraft designs, like the jet planes, would be tested and examined in great detail by the Allies after the war. 

Credits

• Written by Marko P.
• Edited by Stan L. & Ed J.
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• D.Mondey (2006) Guide To Axis Aircraft Of World War II, Aerospace Publishing
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